A Glitch in Plans
by Amledo
Summary: 18 year old Souta has been traveling to the past with Kagome for about 6 months when something goes wrong. This will be a Souta/Kohaku story. 'T' for violence and implied adult situations later on.
1. Seperated

(A/N: Well I don't own InuYasha. Warnings right off, this is going to end up as a shounen-ai story. I like the Kohaku/Souta pairing and there might be some touches of Kohaku/Souta/Sesshomaru in there. Okay, on with the tale.)

Chapter 1—Seperated

Eighteen year old Souta Higurashi was happy with his life, his family and the age that he lived in, he didn't want anything to change. But one day, his sister, Kagome, decided to bring him with he to the past that she so frequently visited. She wanted to show him the way that she lived. After all, she had been traveling back and forth for nearly a decade, and no one in her family had any clue what the past was like. Souta loved it, and after spending a week traveling with his sister and her friends, he decided it would be a regular thing.

"Hey Souta! We're going!" Kagome called her voice cheerful though he could tell from the strain on it that she was burdened by the traveling pack. He still didn't know why she didn't let him carry the thing, he felt like an ass for not chipping in and helping her. But, resigned to the idea that nothing would change he hastily threw a few things into his duffel bag and hoisted it to his shoulders before sprinting down the hall. No one seemed to mind that he had made the choice to join her, their mother smiled in the same encouraging way as always. She seemed to be happy just to have the two of them spending time together and out of the house. And their Gramps was just as quick to brush them off; he knew that his grandchildren had a purpose to serve in the past. Oftentimes he tried to convince himself that this time was the last time he was going to see them. The history said that they would vanish soon and remain as part of the past.

"Ready sis!" Souta shouted as he came running down the stairs, his eyes fixed on Kagome. She smiled brightly when she saw him, the same energy as the first time she had brought him back to the past with her. After six months of travel in the Feudal Era together, she had grown used to his presence at her side, as a member of the party. Early on in their travels the boy had displayed talents strikingly similar to hers and he had rapidly gained the same control that she had, but he gave her all the credit when it came to his learning prowess. The obvious question that she was dying to ask him was if he would help them kill Naraku, two of them with such intense purifying powers stood a far greater chance of finally destroying the monster. But part of her felt bad for considering such an idea, it was not something that she wanted to put her baby brother through. Would it hurt him to have to take a life? He had never even been faced with a real battle.

"Kay, let's get going then," she said in the same cheerful tone of voice. She put her arm around his shoulders and they left the house as quietly as possible, no need for goodbyes any more. They spent most of their time in the past and sometimes their journeys home were for no more reason than to pick up more supplies, hopping out of the well to grab a fresh back pack before leaving again. It was just that commonplace for them to vanish, and the explanations were easier once the two of them left school so they didn't need to know when they would be disappearing.

Kagome put her arms around her brother's shoulders as they fell into the well, he wouldn't be able to go through time otherwise. And for Souta the falling through time thing got easier and easier, every journey seeming more normal. He came out of it with less disorientation and confusion. At least the trips to the past were easier on him, he hadn't and probably wouldn't tell Kagome that the return trips to the future were getting harder and harder. Often when traveling back to their home his body felt heavier, as if something was trying to pull him back to the past, as if he was being tethered there. Part of him still wanted to believe that he was imagining it, and he did his best to ignore the nagging sensation, the well wouldn't let him stay trapped in the past. Would it?

"InuYasha?" Kagome called as she and Souta took to the side of the well, climbing up to the clearing both of them were so used to. Souta stabilized Kagome on the side of the well with one hand and set their packs on the ground with the other. Nervous without knowing why his eyes scanned the forest's edge, something was wrong and it had his senses on edge. But he saw no concern on Kagome's face, did she not sense anything?

Out of the corner of his eye he caught a flash of something, a shape and a sensation that made his skin crawl, much like it had the first time he'd been attacked by a Demon. Reacting to the danger presented to him, he shoved Kagome back into the well, and a fraction of a second later he felt arms close around his waist. He was sure that she had managed to see him being dragged away before the pink burst of light catapulted her back to the future. The speed at which his captor moved, and the strength with which he was being held signaled to him that a Demon was at fault. Quickly as he ever had he concentrated a blast of his power between his hands, a technique that he had not told Kagome about. In a burst of white light he purified the creature and it dropped him to the ground, he landed violently, causing his breath coming in ragged gasps.

"It was only a Demon puppet," he heard a voice, low and dangerous though young and soft. He pivoted on the spot and found himself face to face with a boy his age, brown hair and eyes, pale skin and a smattering of freckles; for the most part he didn't seem dangerous. But the boy had a very demonic aura, as though he were slowly leaving humanity behind, whether due to possession, the blending of forms or continued operation alongside Demons was unclear. Souta straightened his back and brushed his clothes clean of dirt, his hand discretely grasping a dagger that he had been told to keep at his hip.

"You are?" Souta breathed slowly, he stared down the boy that he felt he knew, eyes calm and cold, calculating the odds and how to survive the situation. Nothing had ever gone quite so wrong in his travels to the past as the trip had today. At least he began to understand, the armor was similar to Sango's combat garb, and perhaps the boy was the captured brother that he had heard about from Kagome so long ago. He convinced himself that it was the truth and he drew his dagger, intending only to defend himself, not to hurt his opponent.

"My name is Kohaku. You are of interest to my master Naraku," the boy said and Souta's face hardened his name all the confirmation that was needed. Naraku's name was one that he had often heard, but he was lucky enough to have avoided dealing with the monster. Was he going to finally have to deal with the creature that haunted his sister's nightmares? Would Kagome ever find him if the encounter ended in his death? Worse yet, would his body be manipulated like Kohaku's was, to be a tool of Naraku's?

With no real warning or even the slightest facial indication the former Demon Slayer threw himself at the confused teenager, a violent scream breaking from his throat. Souta fought him as best he could, even if it was mostly in a defensive mode, and managed to keep himself away from harm long enough for combat to cease. During the fight he'd noticed a jewel shard in his opponents back, it was clearly in need of being collected and purified. Souta automatically set himself to the task that he knew his sister had never been able to complete.

"I will not be meeting Naraku, I will not become his servant," Souta said, his free hand wiping sweat from his brow as continued ragged breaths kept him from sounding very serious. He carefully contemplated his plan of attack, and then was forced to throw any sort of idea away. Kohaku had merely shrugged and begun walking away; it seemed that the boy did not care to obey Naraku. Quietly he called to the shard, pulling on it with all the energy that he had as he clutched his own small fragment of the broken jewel to his chest. It had Kohaku frozen in his tracks, fighting the almost magnetic draw of the cursed jewel that fueled his desperate existence.

But Souta wasn't letting go, he advanced on the freckled boy and mercilessly slashed his back open near his shoulder in an effort to retrieve the jewel. He extracted and purified the shard, heart cold to the pain crossing Kohaku's face, even watching as he fell to the ground. Part of him wanted to leave the boy, screaming and crying alone on the forest floor. But his heart, a heart trained by the simple kindness of his elder sister, would not let him leave someone in such pain when he could help the situation.

"Please, put it back, make it stop!" Kohaku screamed and Souta saw the tears falling down the boys cheeks, the pain drawn on that soft face was beyond heartbreaking. Unafraid, Souta drew the frightened boy into his arms and did his best to fight his way into the tortured mind. He tried his best to push against the fear and the pain, crushing his way through mental walls that the other teen had put up or had been put up for him.

The things that he saw in that mind, the pain and the horror, it nearly broke him. Souta had to think of Kagome to hold on to his sanity and his sense of hope for coming out of the situation alive. He did his best to help Kohaku fight through his demons, it was what any good priest or priestess would have done in the situation. It was in his nature to protect people, his sister had taught him so much, and he used every bit of that knowledge to save Kohaku from the darkness of his own mind.

(A/N: Well that's it for now. Next chapter 'Wake Up'.)


	2. Wake Up

(A/N: It has been a long time since I got to work on anything. But I still don't own InuYasha, and this is still going to be a Shonen-ai fic with Souta and Kohaku and maybe a little Sesshomaru. For any of you that are actually interested in this, it will end out with 7 chapters. Ok, enough rambling, here's the next installment of 'A Glitch in Plans'.

Chapter 2—Wake Up

Souta woke up slowly, feeling like he had been hit in the head, and he defiantly held his eyes closed, unwilling to remember his circumstances. There was the soft warmth of a body beside him, comforting almost in the sensation of a second heart beat against his own, but there was also the scent of a Demon. It was a familiar scent, though strange and not well recognized, but Souta had only been at learning to track scents with InuYasha for a few weeks. It was easy for him to be unsure of what it was that he smelled. Only when he heard a soft laugh, a childish laugh at that, did he open his eyes to the wide world outside of his darkened mind. A slender woman with pale skin, silken black hair and large, almost puppy-like brown eyes was staring at him intently. In the back of his mind he registered that she had to be 16 or 17, and then something fell into place and his mind began to work, it was Rin.

"Hey there sleepy head. At least one of you is finally awake, I was getting worried," she said in a little sing-song of a voice, it actually hurt his ears just enough to shake him completely out of sleep. Souta groaned and stared at Kohaku's ashen pale face, it seemed a great deal of time had gone by, and he couldn't find a memory of any of it. And he was doing his best to force his mind to dredge it up, but he had spent a great deal of time and given up more energy than was safe to heal that mind. Kohaku remained tainted though, his half-demon nature too soundly cemented in the blood that coursed through him. So he was like InuYasha, not quite belonging to either his demon or human side but at least he didn't belong to Naraku.

"Where are we? I…how long has it been?" Souta breathed weakly, sighing with relief when he saw that Kohaku was beginning to stir. It was strange, he had never been alone with Rin, and some selfish part of him didn't want her there. That part of him almost demanded to know if the time he had spent to help Kohaku was worth his effort.

"Those are both very good questions. Ones that I will gladly answer once you and your partner there eat something," a calm but imposing voice said and it made Souta cringe at the loss of privacy. Sesshomaru had clearly been the one to find them and while he was happy they were safe he found the situation unpleasant. Even though the brothers were friends InuYasha had spent a great deal of time stressing to Souta never to trust the Demon Lord, so part of Souta didn't. Silent, bothered intensely by the Demon stink that surrounded him, Souta helped Kohaku to sit up and braced the bone-weary half-demon against his side when he began to fall. Dazed from sleep, psychological stress and freedom of Naraku, the boy in the green armor tried to get his eyes to focus. Faintly, and growing more into his awareness he could feel a warm arm around him, securing him to a warm body, but his memories were in pieces. A vague though struck him, Souta, he had been with Souta. And it all came back to him in a dizzying cascade of pain, he was free.

Sensing the coming panic from the half-demon Souta clamped his arms around the small body, his strength barely enough to keep Kohaku from hurting himself when he lashed out. The scream that tore out of the former Demon Slayer's throat was heart-wrenching, but before long it had been reduced to a quiet sobbing against Souta's chest. The Demon Lord was quiet, patient as he waited, his eyes fixed on the pair of teenagers as Rin hid behind him. There was no danger from them, but she was still very fearful so he allowed her a half-embrace, his arm protectively around her slender shoulders.

"Is he going to be okay my Lord?" Rin whispered and hid her face against his chest. Kohaku was a sorry sight, his body shaking with sobs as Souta held him, still attempting to protect his charge from his own mind. Truly Sesshomaru felt bad for the kid, and he was tired of the pain Naraku continued to cause. It had only been a handful of months since Souta had started coming to the past but Sesshomaru knew him well. The peace that he had made with InuYasha (sarcastic though they often were) was a lasting one, brought on by the budding love between Shippou and Rin. All that he really cared about was the continued happiness of his adopted daughter.

"I think it's likely a heavier price than either of them intended to pay, for Kohaku to be free of Naraku, both of them had to give up the freedom of their hearts. This I will ask you not to tell them, they must come to it in their own time," Sesshomaru said softly; glad to tell his child anything to calm her down as he grabbed a few pieces of fruit from one of the packs worn by AhUn. He sank next to the pair of teens and handed them the fruit, Kohaku was still sobbing softly, his pale face swollen and red and tearstained. Sesshomaru swept the boy's hair from his face focusing on the bloodshot eyes, at least they were focused, and he assumed that his impression of the situation was right.

"You have to eat Kohaku," the Demon Lord said and rose to his feet, ignoring the pain in the boy's aura. Souta was a very obvious crutch to the half-demon. Still mewling softly Kohaku nibbled at his fruit, his eyes closed and Souta's arm around him.

"Thanks for bringing us along Sesshomaru. I…Kagome and I were ambushed," Souta accepted a hunk of roasted meat from Rin, forcing Kohaku to eat some as well. "A Demon puppet, Naraku's"

"I know. You told me everything when I found you," Sesshomaru relaxed against the side of AhUn, "It's been two weeks; I've been hiding you from Kagome. And she has been after me so I'm fairly certain that she knows. But I couldn't tell her, not while you both had no clue what was going on," Sesshomaru's voice was gentle but Souta took the underlying meaning seriously, they might not have been alive for him to hide from Kagome. The human tightened his arm around his companion, it was a terrifying thought.

(A/N: Well there it was, review if you like, but remember that flames can burn you too. Next chapter is 'Help Me'. And should be out a lot quicker than this one was.)


	3. Help Me

(A/N: For those of you that read it here is the third chapter of 'A Glitch in Plans'. I am sorry about the long wait because I know I promised I would update but my RAM took a dive. Oh and it only ended up being 6 chapters, anyway, on with the show.)

Chapter 3—Help Me

Souta stared blankly at the sky, his eyes were unfocused and his jaw slack as he aimlessly petted Kohaku's hair. It didn't seem terrible to let Kohaku sleep in his lap, after all his mind had been run through the wringer and he was going to need plenty of sleep to recover from it. Letting out a calm breath Souta threaded his fingers through his companion's hair, enjoying the soft sensation it provided. He didn't want to admit just how worn his own mind was, how badly he wished he could curl up beside the other boy and sleep, and he certainly didn't want Sesshomaru to know any of it. But he never really got what he wanted where Sesshomaru was concerned.

"You know he's going to keep needing you, his mind will likely always rely on you as a crutch," Sesshomaru said, unprompted, his sharp golden eyes glinting in the afternoon light far more intense than InuYasha's had ever been. He gave Souta a soft apologetic smile when the boy struggled to put his attention on the Demon Lord. Neither of them mentioned that they knew that Kagome and InuYasha were on their way, Rin hadn't seen Shippou in the two weeks the boys had spent laid up. But for a reason he wasn't sure he could bring himself to understand, Souta didn't want to part company with Sesshomaru, or risk sharing Kohaku with anyone else. The truth of that fact hit him hard and he was sure that Sesshomaru saw his eyes go wide and his body go slack.

"But does my mind…will it need him too?" Souta felt the question pass his lips almost silently, and he nearly regretted asking it when Sesshomaru's only response was to cock an eyebrow at him. It was perhaps one of the stranger questions that Sesshomaru had heard asked in his life, he pondered for a moment what might have caused the teen to wonder at it. He did his best to scan their auras without much of their notice, and for all his curiosity he got one answer that he didn't believe either boy was going to be ready to hear. Having once been Bonded himself he recognized the beginning phase of the lifelong attachment, it seemed that the pair (so recently meeting one another and more recently friends) had spent too long with their minds linked. But (he assumed to himself) they were just friends, there was no reason that a Bond should be setting in.

"You may, for a time, these things are complicated," Sesshomaru gave a guarded answer, he had no clue what to do or say, not when both of them pulled against his own heart. His compassion had gotten the better of him, and he gave it no more thought. Kohaku continued to sleep soundly, his body still showing all the signs of simple exhaustion . The half-demon was capable of quite a powerful grip in his sleep, Souta was careful to note, his left leg was nearly asleep below the point at which his friend's arms were secured.

"As long as he gets to be back with his sister," Souta said softly, though the words felt false, forced, and though he was concerned about waking his friend they made his hear hurt. He couldn't help it though, he kept finding himself more and more concerned for the health and safety of his friend…friend? The first time they'd met they had fought, they'd meant to do serious harm to each other. Could a couple weeks sharing one another's minds really have pulled them so close to one another? Souta shook his head, confused by all of it. It was something that Sesshomaru noticed, but he made no remark upon it.

"He doesn't get to be with her, she can't have him back. I can't be sure Souta, but I think that Kohaku…um…belongs to you," Sesshomaru breathed, not Bonded, but very close. He eyed the human boy carefully, ready to snatch his companion away if any danger was presented from the comprehension of this knowledge.

"Be…belongs to me? How do you mean, Sesshomaru, I don't want to own him," Souta whispered, trying to stay calm as he brushed his fingers of her the softly freckled cheekbones of his companion. He admitted to himself that admired the calm beauty of Kohaku's face, tracing the delicate lines and details of the smooth skin beneath his fingers.

"It is not truly an ownership, on either part. I can see you focused on him, even your spirit is focused on him. Tell me, you feel as though you want him, don't you?" Sesshomaru said in a measured tone, inclining his head slightly at Kohaku. He watched silently as Souta looked down. And Souta ached inside for the thought that occurred to him, Kohaku was stunningly beautiful. He felt his heart thud painfully at the realization that he wanted to kiss those pale lips, he felt as though he had betrayed all that he was with such an idea. Body gone tense he looked up at Sesshomaru, meeting the Demon's eyes hesitantly.

"I…What's happening? I didn't mean to do anything, I bet he doesn't even like guys that way…"

"Souta, it has nothing to do with that. Deep down you are both just reaching for that which is going to make you most complete. You two haven't done anything yet you are on your way to Bonded. It is something I don't think that either of you would have chosen," Sesshomaru spoke softly, and he watched a few emotions play across the human teen's face. Not once did he see anger or fear, but a tentative happiness, a soft sort of peace, and a definite calm.

"He's going to hate me, isn't he? I never thought being gay would affect my life in the first place, at least I thought I would have to tell Kagome. Here in the past I'm more likely to be killed for it," Souta shook his head and held Kohaku closer, it wasn't that he wanted to he just needed to. He really didn't want to think about it, how all of those complex things he had been feeling for Kohaku were connected to a Bond. He was very attracted to the half-demon, and for a moment it brought a smile to his face. A quiet noise, a little breath passed the sleeping boy's lips and Souta pulled away, he was blushing furiously when Kohaku woke up. His heart was pounding an unsteady rhythm known as infatuation as Kohaku's eyes met his.

"You okay Souta? Did I miss something?" Kohaku's voice was still hazed by sleep, and it only made stopping the blush harder when Sesshomaru laughed softly in he background. The human boy wanted so badly to glare at the mirthful demon, but he couldn't take his eyes off of his companion. Flustered by the situation he tried to get his suddenly dry mouth to form words when he heard it.

"I'm going to kick your ass Sesshomaru!" Kagome's voice pierced more sharply than her arrows ever had and the color drained from both teen boy's faces. For some reason 'hide' was the only concept working through Souta's brain as his sister leapt from InuYasha's back. "Souta, are you…Kohaku?" Kagome paused by the other boy's presence. Sango and Miroku broke through the trees in time to hear Kagome's words, it made for an interesting expression on the female demon hunter's face.

"Don't be mad Kagome, I got the jewel from him and he needed my help. We only woke up today," Souta explained though he looked sad, empty. Sango had already pulled Kohaku away from him, hugging her little brother closer than she should have been able to without crushing him to dust. No one really pain any attention to Rin and Shippou, something the pair of 16 year olds really thought they could get used to.

(A/N: Well that's it for now. Chapter 4 is 'Admit it' and I'm making no promises as to when it will be done because every time I do my computer dies.)


	4. Admit It

(A/N: I'm sorry for taking so long. I totally lost the notebook that this was written in. I still don't own InuYasha or any of its characters, not that I'd want to. I would mess it up. This is still as Souta/Kohaku fic with Souta/Kohaku/Sesshomaru speckled throughout. Umm…not much to say. If you don't like slash then don't read. This chapter defiantly makes with the hate, try not to take offense, I had to make it tense. On with the show.)

Chapter 4—Admit It

Sitting around the fire that night, Souta felt more than betrayed and very under appreciated. No one had asked him if he was okay, or even thanked him for saving Kohaku, which, as Sesshomaru pointed out, he had done entirely by himself. He was even ignored when Kohaku himself said that all the credit went to Souta. Okay, maybe Sango glanced in his direction for a fraction of a second, but they were still firmly ignoring the truth. It was increasingly hard to be apart from Kohaku, to watch even Sango, his sister, hug him. Irrational, perhaps but he didn't see how he could put the situation right, not without ruining his life.

"You are going to tear yourself apart. Tell him," Sesshomaru said, sitting next to the boy that had drawn so much of his interest, and pulled so harshly at his heart. But Souta just shot him an angered glare, he didn't want to have to admit to his feelings, it would literally destroy him. Besides that he didn't rightly understand things himself. There was part of him that wanted nothing more than to walk over there and tear Kohaku away; he wanted to kiss those pale lips so badly that it hurt. He only wished that he could know whether or not Kohaku would reciprocate.

"I can't Sesshomaru, what if he doesn't feel the same?" Souta said, his eyes clenching shut, tears so nearly ready to fall that it burned. The tortured teen hid his head, body going tense when Sesshomaru put an arm around him, there could be no comfort from the Demon Lord. Yes, he trusted the older man, but the only touch that he wanted was Kohaku's. Resolutely the Demon Lord forced the human to meet his gaze.

"You want to know the quickest way to find out how he feels about you? To determine just what it is that he wants?" Sesshomaru asked as his face shifted into a gentle mask of compassion, highlighted with just a touch of concern. Souta instantly nodded, though speechless in a haze of shock, how could it be as simple as Sesshomaru's tone conveyed? Before he could stop it, the Demon Lord was kissing him, and he was responding. Sesshomaru growled softly against his lips, and it was enough to catch Kohaku's attention, the half-demon let out a wild howl. Neither of them had broken away before Kohaku slammed into them and dragged Souta away from the offending Demon, arms protectively and possessively wrapped around the human.

"Don't you touch him," Kohaku's voice was low and menacing, carrying a threat with it. Souta stared wide-eyed at Sesshomaru as the Demon Lord began to laugh. It was a very simple plan, though it had left Souta's insides twisted with more questions.

"There's your answer," Sesshomaru said softly and Souta let out a breath, his eyes closed as he attempted to pull away from the half-demon. But Kohaku did not relinquish his hold on the human, instead crushing him against his chest with a painful embrace. Silent, stunned by the strange events, the rest of the group stared dumbly as Souta leaned up and kissed Kohaku's mouth softly. It was only after the soft contact had deepened that a brilliant blush graced the faces of the boys. They hadn't stopped to think that they were in front of their family and friends. Neither of them had been willing to risk the stigma of homosexuality to let their loved ones know about their feelings before this point.

"I'm sorry Kohaku, I should have done something differently, and you shouldn't have to be stuck with me. I…" Souta's voice was heavy with apparent fear and remorse. He lacked the heart, however, to let go of Kohaku, he wanted to have them work out. Deep down he knew that he wanted his friend to want him, and he was still afraid that he was never going to achieve that sort of relationship.

"Stop that Souta, stop it now. I will not have you question my decision to be with you," Kohaku whispered softly and captured the human's lips softly. Surprised by the action and the acceptance Souta moaned uselessly into the kiss, his hands tightly grasping Kohaku's arms. When they broke the kiss Kohaku loosened his grip but still held Souta against his chest. No one would hurt the man he had chosen to love.

"Sesshomaru, what gives…did you do…"

"Kagome, everyone has a destiny. Souta's is Kohaku. My brother has no more to do with it than fish have to do with the rain," InuYasha said softly, his eyes gleaming dangerously. He rarely expressed the traits that his father's blood had given him, but the more time he spent with Sesshomaru the more he found himself bothered by humanity. Kagome's eyes were wide with indignation and she flipped him off before turning to stare at Sango. The Demon Slayer looked similarly indignant and confused.

"But Kohaku isn't a fag, father raised him bet…"

"I _am_ attracted to guys Sango. You can't understand what I feel for Souta. You wouldn't be able to see how beautiful I think he is. He saved my life, and you couldn't even be bothered to thank him. He is Souta, and he is amazing," Kohaku's voice was proud though on the verge of breaking, he kissed Souta again to hide the few tears falling down his cheeks. The man that would be his mate made a show of cupping his face, discretely wiping the tears away.

Though neither of them wanted to hurt their families it seemed that they only people left to care about them couldn't accept them. In such a short space of time Souta had never experienced such hate and fear, and Kohaku had only ever known such in the presence of Naraku. Sesshomaru and InuYasha seemed to be the only ones capable of approving, or even slightly accepting the situation. But Souta tried not to feel unloved, how could Kagome understand after all? Even back home, people would still shun someone like him as an outcast, as a failure. Deep down he wanted to believe that his sister could still love him.

"Kagome, Sango, I wish that I could say that I was sorry for falling in love and ruining your lives. But it would be a lie; I won't change how I feel. I don't know what you would have me do, but…" Souta choked on a sob as he held Kohaku's hand, their fingers laced tightly together. How deeply he wished that he could have fallen in love and not been a freak. Why did it have to be so wrong to love Kohaku? Why did their sisters have to look at them like the bore some plague?

"Go home Souta," Kagome said, her voice cold and dark. It stung like nothing else, the pain of his sister's rejection felt real in that moment. Even with Kohaku at his side, Souta felt the pain, felt the loss. Why him?

(A/N: Sorry it had to get so…miserable at the end there. But I know from experience that telling your family that your sexual orientation is…different never usually goes well. Don't worry. Souta and Kohaku have happier lives in the future. Next time 'No Regrets'.)


	5. No Regrets

(A/N: Oh I am so determined to get this finished before the fic hits the year mark. Okay, this is still slash and is in fact Souta/Kohaku/Sesshomaru so if you don't like that then I don't really know why you've read this far. For those of you that read this fic this is the second to last chapter. Not much else to say. On with the show!)

Chapter 5—No Regrets

"You really want that Kagome? Because of who I am you don't want me around anymore? I'll leave but home isn't where you'll find me," Souta felt the bitterness in his voice but did not regret it. He made sure to keep his gaze on her, taking in the darkness that had entered her eyes calm blue going charcoal grey in an instant. But no, he wanted her to know his pain, the searing heat of betrayal in his heart.

"I don't care where you go Souta. Just go away," she responded, her voice cracking just slightly under the pressure of knowing that she would have to tell everyone at home why Souta wasn't with her. Souta, however wasn't listening, he had already turned his wide brown eyes to Kohaku's face.

"It's okay if you don't come with me Kohaku. I don't know how I fell in love with you but I did. No part of me wants you to suffer because of that," Souta whispered softly, almost reaching up to touch the half-demon's face. He didn't want to have to leave the other teen, but there wasn't much of an option. Surely Sango wouldn't want her brother to leave again so soon. But Kohaku's arms were suddenly iron around him, preventing him from moving away.

"There's no way that I'm not going with you," Kohaku said lovingly, his voice only a whisper as he traced his fingers along Souta's cheeks. It was true that it didn't make sense for him to love the other so intensely, but he didn't care. After a moment Souta calmed in his arms, his eyes slipping closed in relaxation, it was a good look for the boy, Kohaku decided. Sesshomaru's Demon hearing having made him privy to the conversation the Lord rose to his feet; he was not going to let the boys wander off into the world alone. It seemed foolish for them to have to struggle to survive just because their families couldn't support them the way that they ought to.

"Shippou, you are a good boy. I trust you to take care of my Rin for me. I am not sure when I will be back," Sesshomaru provided for his actions as he rose. He even spared a moment to level a cold and murderous glare at the two women that had so complicated things with their opinions. But his face softened once again into the calm expression he had grown accustomed to when his eyes lit upon InuYasha, Shippou and Rin. The teenaged Fox just nodded, his arms tightening protectively around Rin. Without another word Souta grabbed his belongings and Sesshomaru helped both young men on to the back of the ever present AhUn.

"Thanks Sesshomaru," Souta said after a long while, Kohaku's arms were around him, pressing him close. All of the tension that the Demon Lord had caused with a simple kiss had been forgotten between them. Sesshomaru's expression was pain highlighted with the look of one who remembered great tragedy; he didn't even manage a small smile.

"I couldn't, I wouldn't let the two of you go through what I went through. Neither of you deserve to deal with that sort of pain," Sesshomaru whispered, the ache of old wounds clipping his voice short with near whimpers. He kept his eyes off of them as the sorrow threatened to eat him alive once again. Though he had already gone through the appropriate grieving phase he knew that there was nothing that could make the old hurt go away.

"We…didn't mean to upset you…What happened?" Kohaku asked in a low tone, as if he were afraid of actually asking. For a long silent moment both of the boys figured that the Demon Lord was too hurt by his memories to respond. And if it was something as personal as they figured it was then they didn't want to pry into his emotions. But then the normally stoic man pulled the neck of haori aside, revealing to them a mark, left by a set of teeth. Likely it had come from the Demon that Sesshomaru had once loved.

"My father, he killed the man that I loved. Couldn't have his son not reproducing. Any child that InuYasha produced would have been considered illegitimate because he was already a half-blood. It was down to me to fulfill the obligation. But I couldn't, and silly me I claimed the man that I loved as my partner, my lover without telling father. He didn't know who it was that he cut down in my chambers that night, some passing fancy keeping me from my duty perhaps. Losing the one that you are Bonded to, it takes something away from you. And really you never feel right again," Sesshomaru said slowly, speaking deliberately. It seemed that doing so was a method to keep the tears glistening in his eyes from falling.

He lost that last precious thread of control when the two teenage boys put their arms around him, embracing him close. Not really thinking he put his arms around them, still remembering when he had been granted the return of his left arm. If he allowed himself a moment of truth he would admit that having his arms around the boys felt good, better than anything had in a long time.

"He shouldn't have done that," Souta said at last, it was a simple answer and spoke of the boy's innocence. Sesshomaru watched as the young human lowered his eyes and began to fiddle with his clasped hands. To their surprise the Demon Lord who had been depressed only moments before laughed, though they felt that it was a darker sort of laughter.

"It was what any father in his position would have done. I was the one at fault. Had I simply told him instead of being so defiant…he might have allowed me to go on with my life. Obligation aside I know it was my mistake. I have apologized to Azarel to the best of my abilities and I know that he holds no grudge. It is my own heart that cannot forgive. You needn't worry about me," Sesshomaru said as he drove AhUn to a nearby clearing. He shook the bitterness from himself as he pulled the two boys down from the saddle. They stared at him, it was strange to see a peaceful glow returning to Sesshomaru's eyes, but they figured that he was experienced at dealing with the memories.

"We can't thank you enough for supporting us," Kohaku said as his eyes met Sesshomaru's. He had his arms around Souta and knew that both of them were, at 18, old enough to make the decision that the Demon Lord's intervention had allowed them to make. With a small but no less kind smile the Western Lord leaned against his steed's side.

"There's no way I wouldn't. Kohaku, mate him. While you have the chance, take it. If you are lucky his blood will adapt to yours, fill in the cracks. You could both be full Demons. And you wouldn't have to worry about protection. Though I will offer myself as a guard, I know the process takes a lot out of a body, regardless of changes," Sesshomaru said softly and before he could get out of the way Kohaku was on Souta, fangs planted deeply in the human's neck. Seeing Souta struggle Sesshomaru made a small cut on Kohaku's neck when human teeth simply couldn't do the job.

He stepped away quickly after that though, the violence that tended to go with a mating ritual was always surprising. Turning to avoid seeing the boys he stroked AhUn's neck. If things went normally then it would only be a few moments before both boys were unconscious. After that he would keep watch, and then spend a few days afterward teaching them how to control the power of the bond so that their minds didn't cripple one another.

Something always went wrong; he heard them shift and assumed that they were going to be falling under the spell of the blood bond. As he turned however he was tackled to the ground. The boys bit him and an overwhelming pain claimed his mind. Clenching his eyes shut he tried to remind himself that they were not in their right minds. Still, he couldn't push them off and after a moment he felt a broken moan escape his lips. His mind began to fog over, the strange haze seeming to tell him to return the marks the boys had given him. And he didn't resist, sinking his fangs first into Souta and then Kohaku.

Soon the energy lost in creating the bond sent them all into an unconscious state. Both teens slept on the Demon Lord's chest, contented smiles playing across their faces as new changes made themselves apparent. Souta's hair deepened to a glossy black and so did his eyes behind fluttering lids. The already rich brown of Kohaku's hair became glossier more warmth flooding into the chocolate irises beneath his pale lids. The final physical sign of their transformation aside from seemingly requisite tails were the same slashes of color that adorned Sesshomaru's body. Had anyone been there to observe such a thing, they would have noticed the scents of the boys changing and blending with the scent of the Demon Lord that they clung to.

(A/N: Almost done. Reviews are love, and I always appreciate them…)


	6. Strange or Not

(A/N: This is the last chapter to 'A Glitch in Plans' and when I post this there will be one brief shining moment when I only have one fic that's 'in-progress' then I will lose the battle with ADHD and start 5 more. Okay folks I don't own InuYasha or any of the characters involved in this story, sure I own the plot but that isn't much. Any way on with the show!)

Chapter 6—Strange or Not

The scent of a campfire and roasting fish woke him from his slumber, and when he opened his eyes his vision swam, still influenced by his changing blood. So he glanced around slowly, trying to get his bearings and found himself cuddled up with Souta and Kohaku; had he really allowed himself to be mated to the pair? By the Gods, what was Azarel going to think of him? Never once had he meant to betray the man that he had loved, never once had he wished for anything more than to spend the rest of his life waiting for his lover. But at the same time he couldn't bring himself to let go of Souta or Kohaku, there didn't seem to be anything wrong with the Bond, so he didn't find fault with it.

"You didn't see this coming? You should have, I mean I did," InuYasha said as he poked at the fire, clearly trying to muster a response from his brother. But Sesshomaru simply stared into the fire for a moment, before glancing to Rin and Shippou. The pair lay curled up not far from where InuYasha sat, sleeping in each other's arms.

"Perhaps, but I have spent a great many years without my Azarel. I could have been blinded to the concept of love, not felt that I was receptive to a Bond. There are a lot of reasons. Where is your 'mate'?" Sesshomaru said with a soft groan, stretching his back and cracking his joints. InuYasha's face had gone slack with a dispassionate expression, that much did not escape the elder brother's notice.

"You know that she never agreed to be my mate. And for that matter you know that I wasn't going to stay with her. Besides, I pissed her off pretty royally when I came to protect you and yours," InuYasha said softly his voice just as lack-luster as his expression. Neither of them could figure out what would have made her more angry, the fact that InuYasha would leave her, the fact that he would take Shippou with him, or if it was simply because he was not upset by the fact that Souta and Kohaku were together.

"You didn't—you know, steal him or so…"

"Oh, I know better than that, he came willingly and so did I. She won't take me back this time, and I don't want her to. I want to come home brother. I'm tired of this little show I've been putting on. Believe me I know I'm changing, I'm barely able to hide the fact anymore," InuYasha said stoic and calm as he relaxed and allowed his body to shift. Sesshomaru nodded calmly, accepting the fact that he was going to have a full demon for a brother very soon. They both heard the boys stir off to the side and Sesshomaru slowly walked over, kneeling down and brushing his fingers over the soft skin of Kohaku's cheek. He leaned down and met Kohaku's lips half way, happy to have the taste of one of his mate's lips on his own. Soon Souta had tackled him for his fair share of the attention and Sesshomaru allowed the little indulgence.

InuYasha laughed softly from behind him and the Demon Lord blushed scarlet, pulling away from his mates arms reluctantly to let them at each other. It would be a long time before he gave either of them the kind of love that they would be looking for; he could allow them to have all sorts of fun with one another and not be bothered by it. So he waved them away and rejoined his brother to contemplate the future.

(A/N: It's over, that's it. It was longer in the notebook but I really hated how dull and rambling it had gotten. So here it is shorter, slightly sweeter and more to the point. Thanks for reading and as always, reviews are love, and I like love.)


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